Raytheon Technologies and SpiderOak Collaborate to Secure Satellite Communications in Proliferated Low-Earth Orbit

Combined technologies will ensure resilience of Zero Trust mesh networks in contested environments

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Technologies' (NYSE: RTX) BBN division and SpiderOak announced a strategic partnership to develop and field a new generation of zero-trust security systems for satellite communications in proliferated low-Earth orbit, or pLEO.

SpiderOak's OrbitSecure solution will be combined with Raytheon BBN's Distributed, Disrupted, Disconnected and Denied (D4) secure cloud solution to ensure resilience of mesh networks in contested environments.

"This partnership is paving the way toward secure, on-demand, Geostationary Equatorial Orbit network-like pLEO communications," said Raytheon BBN President Jason Redi. "Raytheon's networking technology ensures that the satellite constellation provides the best routing solution during normal operation, while also dynamically supporting autonomous cross-link routing during disrupted environments. SpiderOak's technology allows us to maintain distributed secure operations with high efficiency, particularly when the constellation is reconfiguring and paths are not preplanned."

"This cooperative effort reflects a common vision for a disruption-tolerant space networking future, which will be important for all mesh networks, and absolutely vital for the future of battle management command and control," said Charles Beames, SpiderOak executive chairman.

The combined solution can be applied across multi-vendor constellations despite orbital or malicious dynamics and will provide maximum resilience and efficiency in difficult or hostile operating environments. This includes cyber and kinetic threats that require on-orbit network and network function redundancy and flexibility.

During this one-year effort, Raytheon, Raytheon BBN, SEAKR Engineering, and SpiderOak will integrate the capability developed during phase one into space-qualified hardware with the goal of making it flight-ready.

Work on D4-Secure is being conducted in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Reston, Virginia; and Centennial, Colorado.

For questions or to schedule an interview, please contact:

Eric T. Mazzacone

[email protected] 

About Raytheon BBN
Founded in 1948, Raytheon BBN provides advanced technology research and development with a focus on national security priorities. From the ARPANET, to the first email, to the first stereo digital mammography system, through the first metro network protected by quantum cryptography, Raytheon BBN has consistently transitioned advanced research to produce innovative solutions for its customers. Today, Raytheon BBN's innovations allow for leading-edge maritime systems, networking solutions, speech understanding in any language or format, and lifesaving shooter detection systems. Raytheon BBN scientists and engineers continue to take risks and challenge conventions to create new and fundamentally better solutions in analytics & machine intelligence, networks and sensors, intelligent software and systems, and physical sciences. BBN is a subsidiary of Raytheon Intelligence & Space, a business of Raytheon Technologies

About Raytheon Technologies 
Raytheon Technologies is the world's largest aerospace and defense company. Our global team of 180,000 employees pushes the limits of known science and redefines how we connect and protect our world. We are advancing aviation, building smarter defense systems and creating innovations to take us deeper into space. The company, with 2022 sales of $67 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

About SEAKR Engineering
SEAKR Engineering is the leading-edge provider of advanced electronics for space applications. We design and manufacture processors, command and data handling systems, advanced payloads, and manned space hardware. Founded in 1982 to revolutionize spacecraft memory systems, today SEAKR continues forward innovation with state-of-the-art space communications processors capable of channelization and beamforming. SEAKR was acquired by Raytheon Technologies in 2021. For more information on SEAKR's processing capabilities or SEAKR products, please visit SEAKR.COM

About SpiderOak
SpiderOak is a 100% U.S.-owned and operated software company that delivers end-to-end cybersecurity solutions for civil, military, and commercial space operations. Our commercially available products are built upon a foundation of zero-trust encryption and distributed ledger, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your most sensitive data in the space domain. For more information about SpiderOak products, services or business development opportunities, check us out at www.spideroak.com.

SOURCE Raytheon Technologies